Brothers in Arms
by Jerex
Summary: Kira and Shinn are bothers living in peace on Helioplis when ZAFT launch their attack to sieze the Gundams, forcing them to join the Earth forces and fight to protect their friends, and each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Brothers in Arms**

Summary: Kira and Shinn are brothers and are living in Helioplis when ZAFT attack the colony after EA's new Mobile Suit weapons, they each end up behind the controls of a Gundam and end up fighting for the EA, but can they fight Athrun? A childhood friend now one of ZAFT's elite pilots in control of a captured Gundam.

Chapter 1) the Downfall of Helioplis, the Gundams revealed

It was just another peaceful day on Helioplis Kira and his brother Shinn were hanging out in the park. Kira was a brunette with friendly violet eyes and a strange taste in fashion (wearing a pair of green pants and a black top with red shoulder straps and a large goofy collar) while his Twin brother Shinn had black hair and wild blood red eyes, and an only slightly better taste in fashion (wearing a pair of beige pants and a long brown pullover.) Kira was watching the news on his laptop with a sad expression on his face while Shinn goofed of playing with Birdie a yellow and green mechanical bird, a gift to the brothers from a very dear friend. "The war…" Kira begins and then sighs his head drooped despondently. Shinn glances up at him twisting his head around to catch sight of the broadcast and snorts "ZAFT are trouncing the alliance forces" he sneers "so much for superior numbers overcoming the coordinators superior abilities" he claims cockily.

Although it wasn't exactly a secret Kira and Shinn didn't advertise the fact they were coordinators, (genetically altered human beings) Helioplis was a neutral space colony and so accepted both naturals and coordinators as long as they obeyed the laws and accepted the ideals of the nation. Despite this with Kira's humanly impossible work load which he kept up with easily despite his good natured complaining and with Shinn's obvious disdain for most naturals rumours had been sparked that the pair we're actually coordinators. "Looks like" mutters Kira, he hated the very thought of war and couldn't help but feel powerless as he watched the battle unfold before his very eyes.

"So this is where you've been hanging out" Tolle a brunette like Kira with blue eyes wearing a back pack, a joker by nature declares triumphantly as he and Miriallia a girl with light brown hair and blue eyes also carrying a back pack and wearing a rather fetching orange tank top approach the brothers. "Professor Kato's been trying to get a hold of you two" Miriallia informs them. Kira looking up the distraction breaking him out of his sombre mood sighs slightly exasperated "what again?" he asks. "he asked us to bring you to him right away" Miriallia claims before smirking "oh and Shinn he said to tell you this time you'd better do your share of the work instead of leaving it all to Kira" she smiles teasingly at the fiery Yamato, while Kira was cool, calm and collected, the kind of guy who wouldn't harm a fly. Shinn was hot headed, impatient, impulsive and liable to launch into a tirade of insults if not violence if things didn't go his way. Bizarrely despite their conflicting personalities or perhaps because of them the brothers got on very well with each other.

"Awe Hell" Shinn swears, it wasn't that he couldn't do the work, he could and in his sleep more over, he hated having to waste his time on such menial and to his mind demeaning tasks, hell he and Kira could probably teach the class. Kira lightly smacks his 'little' brother's over the head (actually their twins and are living with adopted parents whom they love dearly, and they don't know which is older but since Kira is the more mature one he's usually referred to as the eldest) "I've only just finished the work load he gave us yesterday" he complains annoyed by this but already resigned to his fate. Shinn glowers at his 'big' brother and continues to curse the professor's name in his head.

Tolle glances over Kiras shoulder at the broadcast and frowns "some development in the news?" he asks Kira but it is Shinn who replies "Taiwan apparently" he snorts "sucks to be them" Tolle gasps "if this is footage from last week they may have already taken over Kaohsiung by now!" Shinn rolls his eyes as if to say well done you only just figured that out? But a warning glance from Kira makes him bite back his retort.

"Kaohsiung isn't that far from us is it?" Miriallia states a worried look on her face "will the homeland be all right?" at this point Birdy flies up into the air calling out it's name Shinn and Kira glance up at it and follow it's flight with their eyes. "Sure" Tolle replies confidently "there's nothing to worry about, oh there close by but our nations neutral I can't see Orb turning into a warzone" his prediction would later turn out to be completely and utterly wrong in every way but at the time no one could argue with his statement and nor did anyone want to. Kira's eyes glaze over as he enters a flashback:

_He and Shinn a few years younger were standing on a pathway along a row of trees back on Earth the cherry blossoms were floating past in the breeze beside them stood a boy about their age. "The PLANTS and Earth will see eye to eye there will be no war" he predicts with the same amount of accuracy as Tolle. The boy hands a green and yellow mechanical bird over to Kira who accepts the gift with awe. "The evacuation doesn't mean a thing" the blue haired boy claims his hair swaying along with the breeze "I'll be seeing you, both of you in the PLANT's, right Kira? Shinn?" 'Athrun' thought Kira as a feeling of loss, regret, sadness and desire assaulted him all at once._

The flashback ends as Kira's snapped back to reality by Tolle who peers in close to Kira's face "Kira?" he asks shocking the brunette who cries out in alarm and leaps a mile. "What's up with you anyway?" Tolle asks both confused and bemused by Kira's reaction while Miriallia looks on in concern. Shinn mouths the name Athrun behind their backs smirking as Kira blushes madly, having correctly guessed his brothers day dream. "No-nothing" Kira stammers cursing his body for betraying him. "Well then lets go" Tolle and Miriallia start to leave "the professor said the programs he needed you to work on were filed under G" Miriallia informs the brothers, Shinn sits up straight at once upon hearing this, Kira gasps before rushing to pack away his lap top. This was different coursework was one thing but a chance to work on the G-weapons was another thing altogether perhaps the professor would let them update the OS this time.

0o0o0

Outside the colony an old transport ship under the command of the Earth Forces docks with Helioplis's harbour unknown to the inhabitants of the colony this would be the act that started what was to come. And also unknown to the several highly trained G-weapon pilots they would soon be dead as would everyone onboard the vessel, all except for one highly skilled and legendary Mobile Armor pilot. Lieutenant La Flaga a veteran Mobile Armor pilot couldn't help but wonder if the chosen pilots would be able to acquit themselves well enough on the ground.

0o0o0

Meanwhile hidden behind an asteroid not far from the colony a green and a blue pair of ZAFT Warships lay in wait as they prepare to make their move.

0o0o0

On their way to the lab at Morgenroete Kira, Shinn, Tolle and Miriallia come across Flay and two of her friends who were bugging her about her possible involvement with another of their friends Sai when a trio of finely dressed adults come to a stop behind them. The woman and one of her escorts wore black shades giving the group a men in black/secret agent look, even though only one of the escorts wore a suit (which was green rather than black) The woman coughs to attract the teen's attention "if your not getting in mind if I do?" she asks it seemed they were blocking the adults access to the car pool, moving aside they let the adults passed. Kira and Shinn exchange knowing glances, over their time in Helioplis they'd come to notice certain people whose mannerisms to them simply screamed 'under cover military personnel' More Earth Forces soldiers presumably on their way to Morgenroete. Before Kira and Shinn can think on the matter more closely and as Flay leaves for the shopping district with her two friends and Tolle begins to tease Kira claiming it looked like he had competition with Sai for Flay's heart. Shinn can't help but wonder why he hangs out with such an idiotic natural? Oh yeah he was Kira's friend that's why. Kira didn't have any feelings for the scarlet haired self obsessed prom queen in fact having shared a dorm room with Kira Shinn knew full well that Flay wasn't his brothers 'type' if you got his drift, then again he'd have to have been deaf, dumb and blind not to have noticed Kira developing on his crush for a certain Bluenette back when they were kids.

0o0o0

Outside the colony Space suited ZAFT commandos infiltrate Helioplis.

0o0o0

As they entered the Lab Kira smiled at one of his best friends (and rivals for Flay's affection if Tolle was to be believed) Sai already at work on a simulation smiled back he was a rustic blonde and wore amber tinted glasses and had a bright taste in fashion. Kuzzy another of their friends with black hair and Asian features (another no hoper when it came to fashion) was sat at a workstation. Of the professor there was no sign. Glancing to the side Kira caught sight of an unknown blond haired guy wearing a cap pulled down low over his eyes. Shinn ignored him and the others and strode past the Robotic testing model and over to a free work station in the corner where he could work in secret. Little did their friends know that as well as running simulations for propulsion systems and coming up with robotic designs the lab also served as a simulation suite for tweaking computer code for highly advanced Mobile Suits, heck the labs current robot test model was even shaped like a clunky miniature mobile suit and no one even put 2 and 2 together. The Scientists that ran morgenroete may have designed and constructed the G-weapons but they needed Kira and Shinns genius to finish them.

"Who's that?" Tolle asks Kuzzy gesturing at the blond guy stood of to the side of the room "oh him?" Kuzzy glances at the blond guy "professors guest he was apparently told to wait here" Kira approaches the pair as Tolle replies "really?" "Where's the prof?" he asks Kuzzy the professors guest could wait and indeed was waiting but he and Shinn were impatient to begin some 'real' work on the G-weapons. In fact Shinn had already logged onto the system using professor Katos password and was typing a mile a minute working on refining the new and totally improved OS he and Kira had come up with to replace the old crappy one the Mobile Suits were currently using. Even so they'd need the Professor to authorize it before they could upload the new OS into the G-weapons lest they wanted to be arrested and tried for possible sabotage which as ridicules as it sounds would happen if they uploaded it without authorization.

0o0o0

While this was occurring ZAFT commandos started planting explosive charges around a Ship in a hidden hanger on Helioplis.

0o0o0

"He handed me this" Sai informs Kira "its extra stuff" he hands over a data disc to Kira who sighs "great" he mutters, the professor should really know better leaving a data disc with G-weapon designs on it with a civilian student even it was just Sai, even if he had entrusted Kira and Shinn with far more. "So what's on it?" a curious Sai asks Kira "I'm assuming it's connected to the work for Morgenroete" what was Kira supposed to tell him? Certainly not the truth unless he wanted himself and Shinn to be shot. "Not exactly" replies Kira "Its to improve the frame set up module" Shinn snorts as he hears Kira's excuse since it was partially true, it was to improve a module just a Mobile Suit one "actually its just a program analysis" Shinn adds knowing full well that lying wasn't his brothers strong suit, he hoped they'd accept the explanation and let them Kira get on with the work, he was already half way through the OS updates for his favourite G-weapon.

Unfortunately this would not be the case as Tolle grabs Kira in a head lock that he could easily break free from if he used his coordinator abilities breaking Tolle's arm in the process. However since it was just his friend playing around he merely struggled half-heartedly as was expected while Tolle proceeded to interrogate Kira and Sai trying to force Kira to ask Sai about Flay's letter. "Give me strength" mutters Shinn ignoring the commotion they were causing. The Blond guy apparently just as unimpressed moves across to a far door that lead into the inner lab, out of bounds to college students and tries the handle and scowls as he finds it locked tight.

0o0o0

The ZAFT forces on the two ships outside the colony make their move and launch their attack. The Earth forces on the transport ship docked in Helioplis's harbour detect the ZAFT ships movement and goes on alert. All attempts made by Helioplis's station staff to warn of the ZAFT vessels are ignored as radio jamming is put into effect. The ZAFT ships launch Mobile Suits straight for the colony. Mu la Flaga makes his way to the transport ships Mobile Armor hanger and preps his Moebius Zero Mobile Armor for launch alongside two other Mobile Armor pilots. Meanwhile Helioplis launch their own (extremely outdated) Mobile Armors as a defensive screen.

0o0o0

Kira has finally begun work on the OS updates while his friends run simulations and goof of with the frame set up module. Shinn smirked just another few seconds and he'd be finished victory was his even if he had had a head start on Kira he was still going to count it. Neither he nor none of them or indeed any of the thousands of people currently going about their business had any idea of what was to occur in the next hour, and what would be lost.

0o0o0

In the factory district at the warehouse beside Morgenroete the Earth forces (disguised as technicians or wearing Helioplis Security uniforms) start to move the G-weapons to the Archangel for safety upon hearing about the incoming attack. Just then the Timer bombs planted around the hidden ship, the Archangel reach zero and detonate sending rubble crashing around the ship which is engulfed in a blast cloud, killing many of the Earth forces service men in the resulting explosions.

0o0o0

Kira, Shinn and the others look around in alarm and fear as they feel the explosion shake the ground beneath them. What was happening? Was the colony failing? Was it a natural disaster? A Meteoroid? Or could…could they actually be under attack?

0o0o0

On the Earth forces transport ship Mu finishes his preparations and calls the ships captain up on his Mobile Armor's radio. "Launch the ship" he instructs "the harbours about to be taken over" he pulls his space helmets visor down "I'm launching too"

0o0o0

Outside the colony Helioplis's Mobile Armors proved to be no match for the faster, more agile ZAFT Mobile Suits, the GINN's and were been slaughtered when the Earth Forces transport ship launches from the harbour to enter the battle sending out two Moebius Mobile Armors and the Moebius Zero piloted by Mu himself it had four gun pods attached to the main cockpit module which itself had a linear gun bolted to the underside. It was a custom Mobile Armor that could only be controlled by the Ace of Aces, pilots such as the Hawk of Enmion.

0o0o0

Despite the best efforts of Helioplis's Mobile Armors three GINN's had broken through and entered the colony while the ZAFT commando squad had located the 'treasure chest' the Earth Forces new Mobile Suits and radioed the location to the GINN's.

0o0o0

Outside the colony the Earth forces more advanced (if only just) Mobile Armors fought the remaining GINN's with no more success than the Helioplis forces. However Mu in his Moebius Zero manages to payback a GINN separating two of his gunpods he manages to inflict some damage onto the Mobile Suit which still manages to down one of his fellow Mobile Armor pilots.

0o0o0

The GINN's inside Helioplis launch their attack on the Earth Forces transporting the G-weapons and proceed to level the highway near Morgenroete.

0o0o0

Kira, Shinn and the others leave the lab for the corridor to find the other people in the building are in the middle of evacuating. "What's going on?" Sai asks a man who was hurrying down a set of stairs. "What's this all about?" The man barely pauses "I don't know" he snaps before continuing on his way 'Jerk' thinks Shinn sarkly. Another man coming down the stairs also hearing the question stops by them "were under attack from ZAFT" he explains. Kira and Shinn exchange glances they had always known this day may come and had been afraid of this, the only reason ZAFT would attack the colony was for the G-weapons! "Some Mobile Suits have entered the colony" the man continues as the blond guy gasps in shock "we're heading for the shelters, now you'd better hurry too" he continues on his way. The Blond guy however runs the other way instead of heading for the shelters. Kira and Shinn know what they have to do, they can't run and hide from this the G-weapons OS was incomplete, if they were needed in combat it wouldn't be pretty, they had to get to the warehouse and update the OS manually if necessary. They run of in the same direction as the blond guy. "Kira! Shinn!" Tolle cries as the building shakes as another explosion occurs nearby. "go ahead without us" Kira yells back "we'll head for the shelters on the other side, after we've found the professor" Shinn yells back wondering briefly where the hell he was anyway as he and Kira run down the smoke and dust filled corridor.

0o0o0

On the highway the Earth Alliance Forces put up a good fight alongside Helioplis Security force busting out some attack vehicles equipped with missile launchers but the ZAFT forces put up an even better one. And with the arrival of the commando team flying in on jet packs to assist the GINNs the battle turns against the Earth forces. "Destroy any parts we can't carry and the factories" Yzak instructs his fellow commandos over the radio "our Intel indicated five of them" he states however only three grey Mobile Suits can be seen in trucks on the highway "are the other two inside?" he queries. "Rusty and I will continue" Athrun informs Yzak "you guys take these three" Yzak glances back at Athrun "okay go for it" he turns back to his team "if your piloting one, disarm the self-destruct first" he reminds them. The Commandos landed and opened fire taking out two of the Earth forces defenders before throwing a grenade into a truck cab to take out a few more.

0o0o0

Kira and Shinn were running down a rubble strewn corridor, the blond guy just a few paces ahead of them "hey what you doing?" Kira grabs the guy by the shoulder "it's a dead end down there" he lies after all he couldn't let this stranger come with them and see the G-weapons he and Shinn were going to get it in the neck from the Prof as it was and he'd rather not involve any innocent people if he could help it. "Stop tailing me!" the blond guy snaps "you two had better get out of here and hook up with the others" Shinn didn't like his condensing tone one bit "don't think your so special" he snaps back "we have business to take care of just like we said your inconcidental" suddenly an explosion at the far end of the corridor they'd just came down blocks of the way back, the blast wave sending the strangers hat flying. "Huh?" Shinn gasps he, and Kira stare in amazement as the guy or rather girl looks up after flinching away from the blast.

"You're…" Kira couldn't believe his eyes "…a…." Shinn gulps "a Girl!" the brothers exclaim in union much to the girls chagrin, her eyes narrow as her features twist into a scowl "yeah what did you think I was?" she snaps at them. "A guy obviously" Shinn replies earning a heated glare from the girl. Kira chuckles apologetically. "Go back now" she snaps "I have to check up on something on my own" Shinn eyes the remains of the corridor behind them and raises an eyebrow "easy for you to say" replies Kira. "Yeah that's not really an option anymore now is it?" growls Shinn. The brothers glance at each other and take part in an unspoken exchange 'we can't leave her here' Kira states firmly. 'your right she may be a bit of a tom boy but in a certain light she could be considered hot' Shinn jokes 'be serious! there's no where else safe for her to hide' claims Kira 'I suppose…' Shinn sighs 'fine but you have to take responsibility for blondie here' he retorts. Snapping out of their silent conversation (with only a second passing in the real world) Kira grabs a hold of the girls hand "we can't stay here; this way" he declares before dragging her down the corridor with Shinn by his side "let go of me you fool!" she cries, Shinn was beginning to have doubts about her prospects as a possible girlfriend she was just to loud in his opinion. "Fool?" Kira replies feeling slightly hurt as he glances back at her "I just never thought we'd get involved" she replies a tremor in her voice.

In Kira and Shinn's opinion that made her the fool, having worked on the Earth forces top secret G-weapon project they both knew how impossible it was for anyone to remain uninvolved. "Don't worry I'll help you, you'll be okay" Kira promises and Shinn knew his brother would do everything in his power to fulfil that promise "there should still be shelters in the factory district" comments Shinn we can dump her in one when we get there he thinks.

0o0o0

Inside the warehouse housing the last two Earth forces Mobile Suits the Earth forces continued to fight of the ZAFT forces with heavy casualties, a grenade takes out three of the defenders in an instant, but Murrue and the remaining soldiers refuse to give up the G-weapons and open up with a rapid fire barrage.

0o0o0

Leaving Morgenroete Sai, Tolle, Miriallia and Kuzzy can only look on in horror as they witness a part of the battle, as a ZAFT GINN shoots up a group of Helioplis attack vehicles equipped with missile launchers causing wanton damage to the surrounding buildings.

0o0o0

Kira, Shinn and blondie run down a connecting corridor that Shinn had opened using a master password (which neither he nor Kira were supposed to know by the way) and emerged onto a catwalk to find a warzone below them. In containers on the warehouse floor were two grey Mobile Suits waiting to be activated while the surviving Earth Forces soldiers under the cover of some crates beside the machines fired upon the ZAFT forces who were pushing forward their advantage. Kira gasps his eyes sparkling "hey those are…" this was the first time he and Shinn had actually seen the Mobile Suits that they'd spent so much time and effort working on code for. Shinn whistles admiringly while blondie gasps and drops to her knees resting her head against the railings much to Kira and Shinn's surprise. "I knew it" she groans "the Earth forces prototype Mobile Suits" Kira and Shinn raise their eyebrows and look at the girl with newly found respect, she also knew about the G-weapons? Just who was this girl?

"Father I know you betrayed us all!" she screams. Before Kira and Shinn can wonder what she meant by that her yelling attracts some unwanted attention from the battlefield. Murrue turns round upon hearing a shout behind her and fires on instinct. Kira grabs blondie and pulls her away barely avoiding getting shot in the process while Shinn runs the other way "get her out of here" he snarls "I'll head for the you know what" he shouts back running along the catwalk for a door that leads down to another level while Kira and blondie sprint for the access tubes for the shelters below. Murrue lowered her weapon shock evident of her face "those were children" she realizes relieved that all her shots had missed. What were they doing here of all places?

"Crying won't help you" Kira snaps at blondie getting annoyed with her as she tears up, wasn't **Never shout your head off while in the middle of a warzone** a pretty easy rule of survival to remember? "Come on now run" he tells her but she wasn't exactly helping him or even herself "but your friend" she protests even as she struggled to keep up with him, his grip on her arm painfully tight. "My brother will be fine, Shinn can take care of himself" Kira replies not breaking his stride.

0o0o0

Outside on the highway ZAFT had been triumphant and Yzak, Dearka and Nicol having taken control of the three Earth forces Mobile Suits and updated the OS they decide to leave with their captured units before they could get damaged and so left the rest to Athrun and Rusty. They take off escorted by a GINN heading back to the command ship.

0o0o0

Back inside the warehouse the fighting continued as fires raged along one section even as Kira and blondie reached the Shelters access tube and activate the internal com system. "Is anyone out there?" someone from inside the shelter asks nervously "yes my friend and I, there's still heavy fighting going on up here can you please open the doors?" Kira asks, wanting to get the girl to safety and get back to the G-weapons as quickly as possible. "Two of you!" the voice replies horrified "were full to capacity as is, there are still spaces left in shelters in the left block can you make it there instead?" he asks Kira who glances back at the warehouse smoke and rubble filled his vision it was far to dangerous to risk taking the girl back there "please at least take my friend she's just a girl" he tries "Okay I guess we can do that" the voice replies and the doors to the access tube open. "Get in" Kira tells blondie who merely gasps and remains standing beside him. Kira rolls his eyes mentally why did no one ever listen to him? He physically grabs her and forces her into the access tube. "What are you?" she struggles "I can't…" Kira groans, no one ever listened "get in will you, I'll be alright don't worry about me" he pushes her back and goes to close the doors.

"Wait! I…I don't even know your name" she mutters looking away embarrassed. Kira smiles "it's Kira, and you?" he asks "Cagalli" she whispers, staring at him with her eyes begging him not to do it this was her fault he should be the one to be saved not her. "We'll meet again" Kira smiles "and that's a promise" he activates the door controls shutting the doors and sending Cagalli down to the safety of the shelter. Kira sighs 'girls…' he heads back to the battlefield. Shinn had probably already reached the GAT-X606 by now as he ran back he saw a ZAFT sniper about to fire on the Earth Forces woman who had fired on them before "behind you look out" he shouts out as a warning. Murrue twists around and empties a clip into the sniper before risking a glance at her saviour "that kid again what does he think he's doing?" she asks out loud even as one of her remaining comrades is gunned down by a ZAFT commando who is then killed by Murrue who had discarded her empty submachine gun for a hand gun.

"Come here" Murrue yells at Kira who after ducking from a nearby explosion uses his Coordinator reflexes to jump down past the rubble to land atop of the GAT-X105, as the second to last surviving Earth forces soldier fires a quick burst taking down the second to last ZAFT commando "Rusty!" cries Athrun overcome with grief he charges forward firing fiercely taking out the second to last surviving Earth forces soldier. Athrun's submachine gun runs out of ammo as he nails Murrue with a hit to her shoulder, Kira distracted by her cry of pain runs to her aide instead of entering the Mobile Suits cockpit. Athrun discards his empty submachine gun and draws a combat knife jumping up onto the Mobile Suit he runs at the last Earth Forces soldier to finish what he started only to find his way blocked by a teenage civilian, the childhood friends stare into each others eyes and each have the same flashback from before. Kira couldn't have been more shocked, the revelation that the blond guy was in fact a blond girl paled in comparison to the shock he now experienced as he saw who was attacking him.

"Athrun?" he asks his voice wavering. Athrun had stopped dead in his tracks; combat knife raised threateningly "Kira?" he gasps equally as shocked as the brunette. The two childhood friends stood for a second that lasted an eternity as all around them the fires of war burned. Neither wanted to believe what they were seeing was true and yet neither did they want the moment to end. Murrue recovering from the initial shock of her injury raises her gun and fires at Athrun who activates his jet pack and scoots over to the Second Mobile Suit while Murrue pushes Kira inside their Mobile Suit and follows. Closing the hatch she activates the Mobile suit which breaks free of the holding clamps and stands tall amidst the devastation.

**Edited to improve the quality of the story and to erase errors and glitches**

Next Time on Brothers in Arms Kira and Shinn must pilot the Mobile Suits and face a ZAFT Suit in combat to protect their friends and home, Athrun comes to terms with meeting his friend Kira again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Brothers in Arms**

_XXXG-01D: Yeah that's where I got the idea from, Shinn and Kira do look alike and I thought Brothers gave them a closer relationship than cousins. Is Mayu Shinn's sister? If mso the answer is no, since this occurs before the events of Shinns family been killed, and it since he's Kira's brother in this fic, it's simpler to have Shinn and Kira been the adopted sons of Kira's family (they don't know there origin yet.) Yes they are both UC. It will follow the tv series quite closely for the first season of Gundam Seed and so they'll meet Cagalli again, and we'll see where it goes from there. Sorry about that, I can't have paid that much attention to his eyes, it was hard to find a close up of his face at the time so I just guessed with what I could make out, I'll try to change that sometime. Shinn's disdain for naturals wasn't meant to be taken like that, I just thought, he's pretty aggressive right, and during Seed Destiny he's always surrounded by Co-ordinators, military as well so I think if you put him amongst non-military naturals he'll get snarky, it's not that he's prejudice against naturals, just stupid and annoying ones of which Tolle fits the bill perfectly, especially since he and Kira are clued up on Morgenroette and the Gundams. Shinn isn't lazy it's just that he's a super genius even by co-ordinator standards so why should he waste his time doing course work and homework which he could ace in his sleep, working on the Gundams however is challenging so he's always ready to work hard on them, Kira always seems to be the golden boy trying to keep everyone happy, so even though he feels the same way (and he does seem irritated about it in the anime) he does the work with miminal of complaint. That we'll have to wait and see…Yeah, I figure Athrun cares for both Kira and Shinn, but only Athrun loves Kira, and Kira loves Athrun although neither of them realizes or is willing to admit it, Shinn's love interest is well known and makes her own appearance in this chapter. I'm ignoring Shinns attidude towards orb which stemmed from his families death, since that hasn't happened his outlook is slightly different I have a monologue planned (chapter 3) where Shinn and Kira explain their point of view, and it's better than me explaining it here, so just be patent. Kira, Shinn and Athrun (who in my opinion is the Kirk of the Gundam seed universe, and is currently engaged to Lacus as part of an arranged marriage) are Bi it makes things simpler in my opinion. Shinn isn't working for the Earth forces, exactly, he and Kira are helping out Professor Kato. My version actually makes Kira's update of the OS more plausible, as even if he's a co-ordinator updating a mobile suits OS with no previous experience ids a little to far fetched the OS their working on is the one which Kira later updates the Strike with, and Shinn well you'll see whenyou read this chapter. Glad you noticed, I decided to keep the Mobile suits names a secret since they were never stated in the first episode (or the second for that matter) also they don't get named as Gundams until this chapter so there referred to as earth forces mobile suits or G-weapons and will continue to be referred to as such by ZAFT and Earth Forces personnel while Kira and Shinn call them Gundams, the X606 I named it that randomly since the other five included X105, X303, ironically it actually works as you'll see for yourself in this 's a long way away, there are dozens of chapters and episodes before I have to think about the death of the Strike, thank god! Sorry about the grammar mistakes, I try my best but I can't help the occasional mistake .those were some good suggestions but come on! How can you even suggest killing of Dearker and Yzak? I love those guys. Hope I've cleared up a few things, thanks for the review._

_Chaos2Rapture: thanks for the review, you presume correctly._

_JNottle: thanks for the review, Kira and Shinn are the main characters, Shinn doesn't appear at the start of this story becuase it makes his entrance during the fight between Kira and the GINN more dramatic._

_Rin'negan Naruto: No problem i have an idea of who to pair who of with already and will be following the on screen pairings (mostly)_

Chapter 2) Joining the battle, the Dawn of Strike and Impulse

Kira was having a bad day, first Professor Kato goes missing, then the colony came under attack from ZAFT and now an Earth Forces soldier had thrown him into a G-weapons cockpit. Okay so he'd wanted to be inside one but not like that. "Move back behind me" she commanded, Kira would have protested if she'd have given him a chance to. He moved behind the seat to comply "at least we can save this one" she declares activating the Mobile Suit "even I should be able to operate this" she claims with Kira thinking the operative word been should Hell she didn't even give him time to update the OS and he wasn't expecting a smooth ride, especially without a proper seat. He glances at a side screen depicting the other Mobile Suit the GAT-X303…Athrun…he was inside that Mobile Suit and…He was now a member of ZAFT! It couldn't…it shouldn't be possible!

The screen flashed attracting Kira's attention **Welcome to M-O-S** this was replaced by another display almost immediately.

**General**

**Unilateral **

**Neuro-link**

**Dispersive**

**Autonomic**

**Module**

"Gundam" he realizes, he and Shinn had been trying to come up with in Shinn's words 'a kick ass cool name' for the G-weapons as calling them that 'sucked ass big time' again in Shinn's words and here the name was staring him in the face. The Mobile Suit activates and breaks free from the holding clamps coming to stand amidst the devastation. Power indicators were in the green zone. Okay so this woman had got the Gundam to stand Kira merely prayed that she could get it to walk with any degree of success.

0o0o0

Outside Morgenroette everyone was running around trying to find a shelter that wasn't full up. Kira's friends stumbled out of the lab building horrified by the destruction of their home around them. Every now and then a far or near explosion would shake the very ground beneath their feet indicating the battle between the Earth Forces and ZAFT wasn't quite over yet. Suddenly two grey Mobile Suits emerge from the factory district one of which lands beside a ZAFT GINN while the other tries to get away. Athrun reported his and Rusty's failure to the Pilot of the GINN on auto-pilot, it couldn't…it couldn't have been Kira, it was impossible! Kira would never join the Earth Forces!

Kira couldn't believe how badly the Gundam was handling, no scratch that he believed it he just wished the woman would let him do something about it but every time he tried to speak she snapped at him to be quiet He could only hope Shinn was having better luck with his Gundam. A heads up display showed Athruns Gundam standing beside a ZAFT GINN while a side display showed a group of civilians trying to flee from the battlefield Kira leaned forward over the womans shoulder "What!" he exclaims they hadn't reached the shelters yet? 'Sai, Tolle, Kuzzy, Miriallia' he thinks.

The GINN then fires of a few shots hitting the ground around the Gundam sending it stumbling back, and shaking up Kira inside. Placing its submachine gun on its back the GINN then draws its sword before signalling to Athrun to retreat back to the ship with his unit. Athrun didn't want to leave anymore than he wanted his comrade to destroy the Earth Forces Mobile Suit…Kira…could he really be onboard that Mobile Suit…he couldn't leave not just yet, he began updating the OS in his Mobile Suit. The GINN runs towards the Gundam whose movement was shaky like a toddler trying to walk and slashes with it's sword but the Gundam uses its booster jets to fly out of the way coming to land a few streets away. The motion causes Kira to fall face first into the woman's chest which puts her in an even worse mood than she was before. "Get out of my way!" she snaps. It wasn't his fault he hadn't done it on purpose to cop a feel in fact Kira was still trying to work his way out of the closet in terms of his sexuality. "Do you wanna die?" she asks him. Not particully but with a crappy OS and her at the controls his future didn't look all that bright, or long for that matter.

Kira struggled up and promptly screamed like a girl (which he would later feel completely humiliated about) as the GINN ran straight towards them and leapt up its sword swinging down for a punishing blow. Murrue however remains calm and presses a button causing a display pops up **Phase Shift** the Gundams exterior appearance changes becoming white and blue in colour, its arms are raised to block the sword which clashes against the Armor ineffectively. Kira gulps and sighs in relief mentally berating himself for forgetting about the Phase Shift Armor in the heat of the moment it'd take a lot more than a simple sword to get through it. The GINN pilot couldn't believe it his sword hadn't even scratched it….! "This Mobile Suit it…" Kira is interrupted once more as the two Mobile Suits break away from each other and face-of.

Athrun having finished his OS updates informs the GINN pilot that the Earth Forces Mobile Suits are equipped with a system called Phase Shift Armor and once activates it renders swords like the GINN's useless. He then activates his own Mobile Suits Phase Shift Armor causing his machine to change from grey top red in colour. And not a moment to soon as two missiles are launched from remaining Earth Forces Soldiers are intercepted by machine gun fire from the stolen Gundam which is then turned upon a fleeing Missile Launcher vehicle which explodes. Athrun glances at the Earth Forces controlled Mobile Suit with an image of Kira from their past superimposing over it, he shakes his head activates his thrusters and takes of to leave the colony.

Now the stolen Gundam had escaped the GINN flies forward for another attack and Murrue counters with the Gundams own machine guns but the GINN evades easily. Crap realizes Kira, the calibration on the onboard weapons were of as well. As the GINN swoops past slashing at the Gundam as it does so. "It doesn't matter how good your Armor is" the ZAFT pilot sneers sending his Mobile Suit flying at the Gundam once again this time managing to get in a solid hit even though the Phase Shift Armor still held strong "if you can barely move!" he attacks again this time sending the Gundam slamming back into a building. Kira glances to the side display his friends were down there! They could have been killed! Miriallia looked terrified. "Trying to pilot that Mobile Suit you're in way over your head Natural" the ZAFT pilot declares and if Kira had heard him he'd have agreed with him. The GINN advances and all Murrue could do was back away another step and she'd crush Kira's friends! The GINN made to skewer the Gundam Murrue moves to step back and…Kira…just snapped "No!" he cries pushing forward he knocks Murrues hand out of the way and presses another button instead causing the Gundam to kneel down taking the blow over its shoulder. Kira then grabs the thrust controls and pulls them back sending the Gundam charging into the GINN sending it flying (like a football tackle)

"How did you…" Murrue couldn't believe it this kid had only been onboard for a few minutes and had already figured out the control layout. It was no real wonder though that he could operate the system so flawlessly since he and Shinn practically wrote the system. "There are still people all around here" Kira chastises Murrue as he pulls up the OS framework "if your going to drive something as like this you need to make better use of it" he lectures while the GINN struggles back onto its feet, the pilot pretty much pissed-of by now. "This is ridicules" Kira continues "how could you expect to operate such a complex machine with an OS as bad as this?" he asks partly rhetorically "it hasn't reached the completion stage yet, it can't be helped" Murrue defends the current OS. Kira rolls his eyes as if he didn't know that "Lady" he murmurs "I am the completion stage, please move aside" Murrue gapes, he finally had her on the back foot and he intended to keep her there where she was less likely to get them both killed "hurry!" she finally moves to the side allowing him to jump into the seat, this was more like it. He pulls up a keyboard and begins inputting data to update the OS. 'This kid…' thinks Murrue.

The GINN activates its jets and flies straight at the Gundam. Kira growls "I can't finish this if you keep interrupting me!" he types faster with one hand while reaching for the controls with his free hand to open fire with the machine guns (now the calibrations been fixed) but doesn't bother as a new blip appears on the radar identified as the GAT-X606 and before the GINN can reach Kira's Gundam a series of blasts tear up the ground around it forcing it back. "What the…" the ZAFT pilot exclaims as his sensors zero in on the new blip. A small Blue and white Jet roars past the GINN "Shinn to the rescue!" Shinn cries over the radio "as usual" he smirks. Kira sighs but doesn't deviate from his OS updates "show-of" he mutters to himself. Murrue gapes at the new jet 'is that…the sixth unit but I was told it was still under development…who could be piloting it?'

"Okay time to do this" Shinn mutters to himself typing several commands into his modules controls "Legs Flyer, Chest Flyer form up!" two other modules flying behind the Jet (resembling respectively the Legs and Chest of a Mobile Suit line up with the Jet module "Core Splendour connecting to Legs Flyer" the Jet transforms and connects to the Legs which cover the lower half of the module completely. The Chest Flyer begins to descend onto the Legs/Core Splendour merger to complete the connection. "Another one?" the ZAFT pilot blinks "there were only supposed to be five where the hell did that one come from?" he asks out loud "Bastards" he swears discarding his sword to grab a hold of his submachine gun "take some of this" he takes aim at the newly forming Mobile Suit.

"Rebuild neural-linkage network, update meta-motor cortex parameters, restart feed forward control, transfer functions, correct for coriolis deviation…online" Kira declares as Murrue looked on in stunned awe, the boy had just completed a systems update which would have taken a trained technician a few hours in mere minutes. Kira pushes the keyboard away and takes the controls propelling the Gundam forward "oh no you don't" he cries. The ZAFT pilot tries to turn his weapon onto Kira's Gundam but before it can Kira has his Gundam throw a solid punch sending the GINN flying back down once again allowing Shinn to complete his connection sequence.

The Chest connects to legs covering the top half of the module as the merger completes, the Gundams eyes flash briefly as the Head raises into position Shinn presses a button causing a screen to flash up **Phase Shift** the Phase Shift Armor activates changing the Grey Mobile Suit to White and Blue making it appear similar to Kira's Gundam. "Thanks Bro" Shinn contacts Kira over the radio "now lets finish this" they pull up there weapons list only to find it wasn't an extensive list, they merely possessed Machine guns **Igelstellungs **and Assault Knifes **Armr-scneider** "what!" the twins exclaim in union "that's all we've got?" they each draw their Assault Knifes, Shinn landing beside Kira. The GINN pulls itself up once more and starts firing indiscriminately at the Gundams "Damn piece of Earth Trash" snarls the ZAFT pilot as the Gundams evade all the blasts which hit the surrounding buildings endangering anyone who has yet to reach a shelter like Kira and Shinn's friends. "No stop please!" cries Kira "Don't do it here" cries Shinn they attack in a pincer movement slamming their Assault Knifes into the GINN causing it to cease to function. Before they can catch their breath however the pilot ejects having set the self destruct which goes of sending the Gundams flying back with their Phase Shift Armor protecting them from most damage, the occupants are still shaken up inside the Gundams.

Murrue promptly faints falling on top of Kira "Oh so its okay for you to get in my way?" he asks jokingly barely a breadth away from following the woman into dream land himself. "Kira?" Shinn appears on screen through the video link "you okay? Sorry it took so long I had to manually prep all three modules myself, guess I missed the weapons module huh?" he jokes around but it was more strained than usual he was pretty shaken up as well. "I'm alive" Kira replies "no thanks to her" he gestures at the woman currently lying on his lap "she almost got us both killed several times" he complains. Shinn Wolf whistles "Kira" he drawls "I didn't know you went in for the mature woman guess those rumours about you and Flay aren't true after all" he teases before cutting the link. "No Shinn I…" Kira sighs and massages his forehead with one hand this had been a long day, and he had a feeling it wasn't near over just yet.

0o0o0

Inside the Archangel Naturle Badgiruel floated unconscious but alive amidst the bodies of those less fortunate. Slamming into the ceiling and getting hit by the body of a dead crewman she regains consciousness, allowing her to wake up and find herself in hell.

0o0o0

Outside the colony the battle was going badly for the Earth forces as the transport ship takes a direct hit before spiralling out of control crashing into the side of the colony as it explodes. Mu curses "can't we do something about this difference in battle strength?" he asks the Gods as he separates all four gunpods to take on a GINN destroying it's rifle and then it's arm in the process.

0o0o0

On the ZAFT command ship the captain expresses his surprise that a GINN has been damaged by one of the Earth Forces Mobile Suit's however Le Crueset isn't concerned until the Pilot of the GINN destroyed by two Earth Forces Mobile Suits reports back that his Mobile Suit had been destroyed and that there were now Two G-weapon Mobile suits left unaccounted for. Le Crueset leaves the bridge to sortie himself they couldn't afford to neglect the obvious risk the two Mobile suits represented.

0o0o0

Naturle floated through the rubble strewn tunnels "Anyone here? Anyone?" she gaps out loud as a battered captains hat floats past her, it couldn't be…She reaches out and plucks the hat out of the air "the Captain…" she whispers overcome with grief. Suddenly a sound distracts her from her own anguish the sound of a child crying floating towards the sound she finds a young girl hidden partially behind a fallen panel; she was about fifteen or sixteen years of age and had blond hair and light purple eyes clad in a dark grey exo-suit she was curled up rocking herself gently as tears streamed down her face. "…die…I don't, don't wanna die…no…no…no…can't die, can't die…don't wanna die…" She whimpers to herself seemingly unaware of Naturle's presence.

Naturle approaches the girl and gathers her in her arms "Shush" she comforts the girl rocking her gently in her arms "it's going to be okay now, your alive" her efforts calm the young girl down some what as she nuzzels back into Naturle's embrace "what's your name?" the Officer asks marvelling on how young the girl was "Stella my name is Stellar" the girl replies, Naturles eyes widen with shock and for a moment she has to fight her initial impulse to push the girl away no wonder she was alive, she was one of them.

A banging sound distracts her looking up she's in time to see a door been forcibly thrown of its hinges before a torch is shone into Naturles face blinding her Stellar cringes and holds onto Naturle tightly, the crewman holding the torch looks at Naturle in relief "Ensign Badgiruel glad to see your okay" the Crewman notices Stellar for the first time, and blinks in confusion not realizing who or what the young girl was. "Are you two the only survivors in this section?" the crewman asks before looking away in grief "are either of you injured?" he continues, Naturle shakes her head "a few bumps, we'll be alright" The crewman smiles relieved "can you come with me back to the Archangel, I've regrouped the survivors on the ship" Naturle pulls Stellar and herself into a standing position "Stellar follow me were going to the Archangel now, you'll be safe there" she tries to sooth the girls fears and seems to have succeeded…for the time being. "The Archangel …" Stellar smiles "…Archangel safe, Stellar not die there" Naturle supporting stellar follows the Crewman through the tunnels towards the Archangel .

0o0o0

Outside the Colony La Flaga looked on the ZAFT vessels fire signal flares to signal the GINN's retreat but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. And he was right as Le Creuset launched in his CGUE a Custom GINN.

0o0o0

Back in the colony the two Gundams (as soon as Kira suggested the name Shinn seconded it finding it sufficiently kick ass enough) Stood in the park beside a row of benches on which Murrue had been laid upon one with Miriallia checking on her while the boys scoped out the two Mobile suits. Murrue stirs before regaining consciousness seeing an unknown civilian girl hovering above her, the girl smiled "I see your finally awake" she greets the Earth forces officer before turning to the side Hey Kira" she calls over to the boys. Murrue tries to pull herself up in to a sitting position noting as she does so that one of the kids had bound her wounded shoulder and groans collapsing back down onto her back. Kira the boy in the G-weapon approaches her entering her field of vision "your better of not trying to move right now" he warns her before looking bashful "I guess I owe you an apology, I got a little carried away in their…I'm sorry"

Miriallia offers Murrue some water as Kira helps her up into a sitting position while the boys continue their inspection of Kira's Gundam (since Shinn death glared anyone who dared approach his Gundam) joking around they attract Murrues attention horrifying her. A civilian was actually sitting in the G-weapons cockpit, with another standing on the leg joint and two more crowded around it from the ground level. "So why do you think they turned grey?" Kuzzy asks Tolle in the cockpit who replies "maybe the main batteries out of juice" "Keep away from that machine" Murrue orders following it through with a single gun shot that pings harmlessly of the Gundams armor. Murrue stood despite her aches and pains pointing her gun at the civilians "What do you think your doing?" Shinn asks lividly "Is this how you thank us? We saved you!" Murrue aims the gun straight at Shinn's head he steps back afraid for a moment that she really was going to shoot him when Kira steps in front of him and the gun "they carried you out and helped me dress your wound please their not the enemy" he pleads

"I am grateful that you saved me but you kids have been exposed to a top secret military secret" claims Murrue. Shinn snorts not only did he and Kira already know about this so called top secret military project but… "So what?" he sneers "From the looks of it ZAFT already know about it and have already got their hands on four of the Gundams why aren't you threatening them instead of us, oh yeah that's right they defeated you didn't they?" "Shinn!" hisses Kira "It's my head she's currently aiming at" he reminds his hot headed brother. Murrue scowls but ignores the jibe at the earth forces "The G-weapons are not something civilians should handle irresponsibly" she states while Shinn mutters "Gundams" under his breath. "Give me a break" Tolle complains "you had Kira driving this one only a minute ago" Murrue turns the gun to face him much to Kira's relief and Tolle's discomfort. "All of you over here" Murrue gestures with the gun making the kids line up in front of her, away from the Mobile Suits, Miriallia grabs a hold of Kira's right arm frightened by the situation while Shinn grabs a hold of Kira's left arm in a parody of Miriallia's grip, Kira his attention focussed completely on Murrue doesn't notice his antics as their ordered to identify themselves.

"My name is Sai Argyle" Sai states "I'm Kuzzy Buskirk" Kuzzy states "My name is Tolle Koenig" Tolle states "I'm Miriallia Haw" Miriallia states…Murrue cocks her gun at Kira and Shinn gesturing for them to speak… "Kira Yamato" Kira states as he notices Shinn's grip on his arm and shakes him off "Ha! Shinn Yamato" Shinn smirks. "I see" Murrue narrows her eyes 'he must have been the one piloting the Impulse but how did he get behind the controls much less figure them out?' she thinks "My name is Murrue Ramius an Earth Forces officer" Murrue states. "We had figured that out for ourselves" Kira declares. "It is my unfortunate duty to inform you that I cannot permit any of you to leave" Murrue announces causing the others to gasp in surprise but Kira and Shin however were expecting this "despite the circumstances the fact is you've witnessed a highly classified military project until I am able to notify appropriate authorities who will determine how the situation is to be handled you have no choice but to remain with me at all times"

Shinn opens his mouth to utter a rather inappropriate comment something involving showering no doubt, before Kira elbows him sharply causing Shinn to grimace and bite back his remark. The others were just as vocal in opposing this and even tried to play the neutral card. Kira and Shinn felt like rolling their eyes welcome to their world they had been born in Orb a neutral nation and had been raised by their adoptive parents to be pacifists (although soemthing had clearly gone wrong in Shinns case) they were just your average ordinary coordinator super genius teenagers and yet had ended up designing and refigning a weapon for the Earth forces although admitadly it had been cooler than extra trigonometry. Murrue fires twice in the air causing everyone to flinch and jump in fright before she enters a tarrade about how it was impossible to distance themselves from the conflict and that neutrality was merely a convientent excuse to hide behind it wasn't like Shinn gave a damn he'd heard it all before and effortlessly tuned it out, all he cared about was getting behind the controls of that Gundam once more. "The Earth forces most vital secret was here and you've seen it" and designed it in some cases not that they ever got the credit for that of course. Damn it! If professor Kato was still alive Shinn was going to kick his ass half way back to Earth and Kira wasn't going to stop him this time. "this is a war between the PLANTS and Earth Coordinators and Naturals outside the world you know" Murrue finished her statement causing Kira to flinch and look away while Shinn scolws and clenches his right nuckle tightly.

0o0o0

Outside the colony Le Crueset launches an ambush on Mu before heading into the colony pursued by Mu.

0o0o0

On the Archangel the crewman explained their situation to Naturle the only survivors other than herself and the girl Stellar were those already onboard the ship mainly factory workers. Naturle checked the damage report which if correct showed only superficial damage they'd been lucky the Archangel was quite a ship it would take a hell of a lot more than that to sink it. "Out there is a mountain of debree blocking the harbours exit were completely trapped in here" the crewman claims finishing of his report. Naturle tries the coms which they find are still been jammed and starts "their still jamming the air waves and yet they…" Stellar looks up at Naturle from her position sat at one of the stations her knee's pulled up under her chin "…could this have only been a diversion?" Naturle asks out loud "but that means ZAFTS true target is Morgenroette!" she declares. "If they manage to capture the G-weapons…all we'll have left is the experimental Logos unit" the crewman states worriedly glancing nervously over at stellar who didn't seem to notice or maybe she was just used to the reaction "for…her use" the crewman finishes stuttering slightly. Over the coms a burst of static can be heard someone was trying and failing to get past ZAFT jamming and contact the ship.

0o0o0

Back with the Gundams Kira in the Strikes cockpit kept up the transmission trying to get through to the Earth Forces with no success finally calling it quits for the time being just as a trailer pulled up beside the Strike with sai getting out of the cab "the number five trailer that's the one you asked for right?" he asks Murrue who nods her head gratefully "yes that's right thanks for the help" she replies. "So what should we do now?" Sai asks "please get the weapons pack for the Strike" she turns to Kira who was leaning out of the Gundam's cockpit "when that is done please try them once more" Kira nods his head and slips back into the cockpit seat "sure" Until Shinn returns with the Impulse and it's weapons pack we only have the Strike to defend ourselves with Murrue thinks If only ZAFT would leave, they already have four of our Mobile Suits what's two more…but of course even one new weapon left in the hands of the enemy is one to many.

0o0o0

Mu and Le Crueset exchange fire which results in all the Mobius Zero's Gun pods been destroyed but Mu continues to fight with the main module firing the linear cannon at the Custom GINN.

0o0o0

Onboard the Archangel the crew under Naturle prepare to launch the ship depending on what they found outside they may have to launch the Gaia along with Stellar who seemed eerily calm now they were about to enter a battle situation. As the drew power through undamaged conduits into the ship the weapons systems came online, all functional "Seal all airtight bulkheads, all hands be prepared for sudden impacts as well as possible damage to the ship" Naturle barks out her orders "Stellar standing by in the Gaia" a crewman reports "advance with caution launch the Archangel" the main engines fire up as the ship readies itself for launch.

0o0o0

Back with the Strike Kira operates the Gundam moving it beside the trailer which opens up to display the Weapons and Power pack. Suddenly an explosion alerts them to the new danger as a white Mobile Suit appears been pursued by a red Mobile Armor. La Crueset zeroes in on the strike "ah that must be one of them" he checks his sensors but for the moment there was no sign of the other 'Sixth' G-weapon. "The final unit" Mu realises but couldn't be sure whether it was in friendly hands or not. La Crueset buzzes the Gundam with the Mu hot on his tail.

"Mount the equipment before it's too late!" Murrue orders urgently as the Mobile Suit and Armor exchange fire before the Mobile Suit finally destroys the Armor's cannon and proceeds to ignore it in favour of attacking the Strike. Kira equips the Launcher Strike Package and panics activating Phase Shift Armor just in time. Suddenly a massive explosion rips apart a nearby hill side and a beautiful white, red and blue ship with an extended section at the front and back giving it the appearance of legs emerges from the hole distracting La Crueset at the last possible moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Brothers in Arms**

_Bluegirl: thanks for the review; I got the idea when I read an old fic that had them as cousins but it didn't have as much depth to it (the first chapter was 2 paragraphs long less than 500 words and it covered the storyline up to halfway through my chapter 2 so you can see the difference. It definitely won't be Kira/Flay, Shinn/Stellar is a given but they may not hit it off straight away, there are definitely gonna be hints of Kira/Athrun but I've since gone of the pairing, I'll keep it in but only as a running theme/joke their won't be anything graphic Kira's just crushing on Athrun and it's mostly gonna be one sided. (Not sure if Kira and Athrun will ever get together with Lacus and Cagalli No Kira/Cagalli kissing cousins bad!) Basically if it doesn't advance the plot I won't do it, the pairings support the plot, the plot not the other way around. Hope this has cleared a few things up. Thanks for the praise my ego really needed that (hee, hee, what's modesty again?) seriously I'm glad you like my humorous touches, I like two things Sci-fi and humour (and anime but no one counts that as a category) I just write whatever I find funny and think fits for the storyline, (go to overboard though and it ruins the story, this is an adventure/action story with some funny lines thrown in it is not a comedy or a parody.) Shinn's presence has made Kira act somewhat out of character, he's still shy and withdrawn but Shinn's fiery temperament has rubbed of on him, he usually keeps his sarky comments to his thoughts though. And lastly I do that all the time (I usually operate from a library or cybecafe) and when I ready a funny story and burst out laughing everyone gives me funny looks which I do feel embarrassed about but it's to good to hold it in, and on the flip side I once read a Ouran High School fic that was so sad I actually cried, everyone was like "are you okay?" "would you like to talk about it love" the old ladies thought my girlfriend had dumped me via e-mail or something._

_Nxkris: I honestly haven't planned that far ahead, I could have given Shin an all new OC Gundam or a model identical to the Strike but then I thought why? The Impulse apart from the way it launches and the use of a core fighter works just like the strike and its hard to picture Shinn been in anything other than the Destiny or the Impulse (Can you see him in a Zaku, or a Muramase, or even the Strike? Me neither) I am following the storyline pretty exactly at the moment which is both a relief and a curse, on the one hand I can use the episodes to structure the storyline but on the downside the changes I've made are going to change the events that occur (some things will be fixed-Flays dad dies/Archangel falls to earth in ZAFT territory/Earth forces use Cyclops system during operation spitbreak, but will something like Nicole dieing or the Strike and Aegis been destroyed nearly killing Kira occur?)_

_Chaos2Rapture: thanks for giving it a chance, it's not like I'm going to writing graphic boy love scenes, I just thought it worked especially with the way I expressed Shinn and Kira's opinions since they keep a lot of their actual thoughts hidden from the world I just couldn't resist making it so they knew about the Gundams, and there's a scene this chapter that sets the record firmly straight about that (tying up the loose ends if not neatly then at least tying them at all) as soon as I got the idea for this fic I instantly remembered Shinn saving Athrun and Cagalli during the opening episode of Destiny and having re-watched episodes 1 through 5 of Seed for research it hit me as how easy it would be to combine those two scenes, I took some liberties with the Impulse's transformation sequence but I managed to get the flow of the scene working quite well, or at least that's my biased opinion._

_Greek Gundam poilt: I'm surprised by the number of reactions I'm getting against that, I'm straight as they come (just ask the IT guys at my former college they'll tell you exactly which sites I downloaded from) but I've no real problem with boy love stories so long as there not graphic (kissing I can just about deal with anything beyond that and it's not for me) and there's a decent plot, if the storylines good and it isn't focussed on the pairing itself then I'll at least give it a go, this is my story and I made the decision to give Kira a crush on Athrun, I once had a crush on a cartoon character it doesn't mean a thing! _

_Kurai: Sorry but I've found most people prefer full paragraphs to sentences so that won't be changing anytime soon. Maybe that's so but I doubt it'd be easy to change my writing style just like that. _

Chapter 3 the power of a Gundam, the Collapse of the Colony

Last Time: Le Crueset launches an attack upon the Gundam piloted by Kira but his attack run is interrupted by a nearby explosion that rips apart the surface of the colony revealing an angelic White Red and Blue ship with an extended front section that gives it the appearance of legs.

Shinn in the Core Splendour returning from Morgenroette looks on in awe as the Archangel appears as if thrown from the heavens themselves (or hell but that wouldn't be as effective as a metaphor unless you change the name to Duke Devil or something) he sums up the ship in one simple syllable "Wow" he gawks at the streamlined ship "A new ship design?...Prof's been holding out on us" he realizes.

Kira doesn't waste the distraction he'd been given he pulls up a weapon from the Launcher strike Pack on his screen Hyper Impulse Cannon AGNI and preps it for use while the Earth Forces Mobile Armor flew around uselessly it's last offensive option neutralised by the ZAFT Mobile Suit.

"The Archangel" Murrue breaths looking on in shock 'so it wasn't destroyed after all' she thought relieved even as she was surrounded by gawking civilian kids.

0o0o0

Onboard the Archangel the crew deliver a status report to Ensign Badgiruel… "We broke through the harbours exit we're in the colony's interior" the helmsman announces. "Morgenroetes been destroyed, the Strike and Impulse have been activated, no there in combat!" another crewman declares. "Oh great" Natarle sighs, an untested Mobile suit with an unfinished OS was fighting the best ZAFT had to offer and if that wasn't enough the ZAFT CGUE chose that moment to attack them. "Take evasive action – starboard!" She orders. The Archangel rolls to starboard causing the CGUE's shots to miss the ship.

Crueset ignores the ship for now and focuses on destroying the Mobile Suit bringing his Mobile Suit around to make a pass at the Strike he opens up with his Shield mounted Vulcan guns. Kira places the strike in the way of the shots as a shield to protect his friends and the Earth Forces woman Ms Ramius. Phase shift armor handling the repeater rounds effortlessly. As Crueset pulls his Mobile suit up and ponders on his failure to even inflict any damage on the Earth Forces suit a new contact appears on radar. The Sixth G-weapon or rather…the Gundam Impulse!

"You do not attack my brother like that, Bastard!" Shinn in the Core splendour roars as he types away at the controls "Leg Flyer! Chest Flyer! Silhouette Flyer! Go!" The Leg module forms up and connects to the transformed Core Splendour with the chest module aligning and connecting to the legs module covering up the Core Splendour and the Silhouette Flyers cockpit ejects allowing the weapon module to connect to the back of the Chest Flyer which forms the head revealing an impressive looking Mobile suit. "Phase Shift on" Shinn activates his Gundams Phase Shift Armor changing it from grey to white and blue "Launcher Impulse ready for battle" he declares pulling a weapon up on screen from the Launcher Silhouette Hyper Impulse Cannon AGNI and prepares it for use.

Onboard the Archangel the crew prepare to fight the ZAFT forces "Ensign the Impulse has arrived and it's beginning its transformation sequence "ready aft missile tubes 7 through 10 and prepare to fire on my command, Stellar get to your Mobile Suit it looks like you may be launching after all" Natarle orders. Stellar nods her head, a strange expression on her face, unusually calm for a girl that had been absolutely terrified moments before. She leaves the bridge at a run to reach the hanger. "Laser designator, listen your not to hit the shaft or the ground" so no pressure it was only one highly manoeuvrable Elite Mobile Suit after all "That's an order, now fire!"

Le Crueset Studied the Sixth G-weapon and marvelled at its unique launch sequence as the Archangel fires four missiles at his CGUE which he effortlessly evades blowing one up with a shot from his Submachine gun, he then hides behind a pillar which intercepts one of the missiles in a fiery explosion before activating his jet boosters to fly up out of the path of the final two missiles which hit the shaft dealing a mass of damage to the colony.

If Kira and Shinn weren't angry before at been attacked along with their friends, seeing their home been destroyed right in front of their eyes pushed them both over the edge..."I said not to fire that here!" growls Kira. "The hell you do" snarls Shinn they broth draw their AGNI Cannons and lock onto the ZAFT Mobile Suit. Murrue tries to stop them the Launcher packs weren't designed for combat in enclosed spaces (like a colony) but is too late to prevent the joint attack.

Le Crueset barely dodges the twin beams of destruction from the two Gundams, as it is he lost an arm and a leg of his Mobile Suit, if he'd have been a second slower in reacting…but the Beams didn't stop there, they continued on past the ZAFT Mobile Suit and impact against the Colony wall, the twin beams combined power punching a huge hole into space which Le Crueset capitalizes upon to make his escape.

Kira's mouth drops open in horror as he surveys the damage HE had caused. Even Shinn was uncharacteristically silent as they come to terms with what they had done. "No-no one to-told me this thing wa-was loaded" he titters nervously as tears stream down his marred features. "My fault…" Kira bursts out crying "s'all my fault" Kira shakes his head in denial…what if he'd hit a life-pod? He…he was supposed to protect everyone, not destroy them!

Onboard the Archangel the crew look on with mixed feelings, on the one hand the damage to the colony was terrible and unfortunate but not one of them could help but feel relieved as they saw the ZAFT Mobile Suit retreat back outside the colony. "Stellar stand down" orders Natarle "You will not be required to launch at this time" she cuts the link to Stellars Mobile Suit "Prepare for landing, adjust speed for ground rotation and brace yourselves for gravity"

0o0o0

Le Crueset returns to his command ship in his damaged Mobile Suit, if he hadn't have dodged in time the beams would have hit his CGUE's torso dead on and he…he wouldn't be here to think about this would he...he smiles an ironic smile as his machine is caught by the emergency net "at least it would be painless" he whispers alongside a grimace of suppressed pain.

None of the ZAFT soldiers could believe it how could the legendary Le Crueset retun damaged? What kind of monsters were these Earth Forces Suits to be able to allow a Natural to take the commanders arm and leg so easily?...if only they knew…

Athrun was thinking hard about the development as he witnessed Le Cruesets landing. He could barely believe it himself it couldn't have been Kira (but it was Kira) Kira would never have been able to do something like that…if he went into battle against Commander Crueset he'd be killed…unless…what if he was there too! (he been of course Shinn and he had been) Shinn…if he hadn't changed…and if he was at the controls of one of the Earth forces suits…Miguel had been bested in battle against them, perhaps…no it just couldn't be possible! (Oh but it was as soon he would discover.)

0o0o0

Back in the colony Mu's Mobile Armor lands on top of the Archangel while the Strike and Impulse (In complete Mobile Suit mode) land in the Starboard hanger.

Sai, Kuzzy, Tolle and Miriallia jumps down of the Strikes hands while Murrue jumps down of the Impulses hand. The Gundams stand back up just as the crewmen approach lead by Natarle. "Lieutenant Ramius! Ensign Natarle Badgiruel" she announces herself greeting Murrue with a salute which is returned "it is a tremendous relief to see you unharmed."

"You as well" Murrue replies "I'm pleased to see you've protected the Archangel, you do realize you've saved us" the Strike and Impulse's cockpits open at this time stopping further discussion. Who saved who again? The brothers can't help but think as they descended to the floor via the drop line, as far as they were concerned if there was any saving going on during this whole fiasco it had been them who were doing it.

The Crewmen looked on in awe as Kira and Shinn reach the floor and release the drop lines and deep down even Shinn would admit that they didn't look all that impressive just a pair of kids with nearly zero fashion sense (that is in Shinn's case, Kira isn't even eligible for that level of indignity…he has absolutely zero fashion sense)

"Come on" growls Chief Murdock the Head Engineer "would someone please tell me what's going on here? They're just kids only just learned how to shave and they're piloting those things!" he declares incredulously.

Tolle and Miriallia approach Kira and Shinn "amazing" they exclaim. Tolle smirking at Shinn with Miriallia patting Kira's arm reassuringly. Sai and Kuzzy also move close to the group as well, eyeing the soldiers nervously.

"Lieutenant Ramius what's going on?" a dumbfounded Natarle asks Murrue who starts to splutter "Uh well…" thankfully she receives some breathing space to formulate a coherent reply in the shape of a generic ace hot shot pilot.

"Wow what a surprise" the hot shot declares as he strides over to the assembly, a blond man clad in a space suit minus the helmet which he'd previously removed "I'm Lieutenant Mu La Flaga of the Seventh Orbital Fleet at your service, it's an honour" he salutes them and the crew salute back leaving the civilians looking on in bemusement it was almost like a soap opera (or space opera but whose keeping score anyway?) Kira and Shinn phase out the whole military salute routine what real impact did such an elaborate, ridicules and time consuming greeting actually have on the military's effectiveness and efficiency anyway? None what so ever it was the same as parades and military bands there was simply no purpose no reason and yet they did them anyway. Kira and Shinn had been working with the Prof for a while now and it was creepy how many of his mannerisms and ideology they'd picked up.

"I'd like permission to come aboard your vessel" Mu continues…come aboard? Wasn't he already onboard the ship? Kira and Shinn think, exchanging glances they shrug in union (much to their friends puzzlement, but it didn't last long as Kira and Shinn were always acting weird, Shinn more often then Kira) They didn't know how ZAFT worked, it could be a Natural thing but more likely it could be summed up nice and simply with one word 'Military' and a head shake…Mu looks around confused "um may I ask whose in command around here?" It was almost too much Shinn was barely able to keep himself from shouting at the top of his voice 'YOU JUST DID!' it was only by the grace of god (Kira's heated glare which looks really freaky on someone whose features are normally so passive, and not to mention the dreaded right boot to the ankle.)

"The Captain and the superior officers have perished in battle, therefore I believe it's Lieutenant Ramius who is next in line for command" announces Natarle Shocking Murrue who can barely believe her own ears, the kids quieten down at the news adding to the sombre attitude "There's only about a dozen of us left mostly non-commissioned officers, fortunately I was in the shaft at the time and managed to survive" Natarle finishes gravely.

"You mean the Captains…it can't be" Murrue looked staggered by this development, about ready to burst into tears at a moments notice. And she was responsible for all their lives? Kira couldn't really blame her, rapid promotion wasn't as fun as the ladder climbers made out, he and Shinn knew that from experience (of falling of ladders mostly, they were never going to drink Tolle and Kuzzy's BuzzKoenig brand vodka ever again, how they'd let that pair of deviant distillerists convince them to be there taste testers they had no idea, and it was saying something to the proof of the drink that half a glass each (and small sized glasses at that) managed to get a pair of coordinators absolutely zonked out of their minds. If a Natural had tried it they'd probably have succumbed to alcohol poisoning after the first sip.)

Mu frowns "man oh man what an unmitigated disaster…in any case please grant me permission Lieutenant Ramius, the ship I was assigned to engaged the enemy and was downed" he explains his reason for been there which made sense although Kira and Shinn still didn't get it. "Oh ah yes permission granted" Murrue seemed unsure of herself now she had found herself in command hopefully she'd pull herself together before…say…ZAFT attack and kill us all!

Mu looked across at Kira and Shinn in the middle of their (or Kira's as Shinn would insist) friends "and who are they?" he asks a curious expression on his face. "As you can see they're teenage civilians from the colonies "The two brothers were in the factory district during the attack for some reason" for a specific reason they had to get the G-weapons ready for battle for all the thanks they got for their efforts. "I brought one of them aboard the Strike and the other somehow ended up inside the Impulse…" and Shinn sure wasn't talking about that, after all; the best magicians never revealed their tricks. "Their names are Kira and Shinn Yamato"

"Oh" mutters Mu. Shinn blinks stupidly, Kira nearly face faults, yep the usually calm and collected Yamato very nearly winds up flat on the floor at the reaction. They had managed to infiltrate a secure location, survive a battlefield, pilot a Gundam each and that was his reaction! Kira and Shinn just couldn't believe it.

"Thanks to their joint efforts we successfully fought of a ZAFT GINN and were able to secure these last two units" Murrue finishes her explanation. "What!" Natarle exclaims loudly accompanied by mutterings in the ranks. How could a pair of kids who as Murdock said had only just begun to shave do all that? "Fought of a GINN?" Natarle asks incredulously "and these kids did it?" it sounded impossible to her . Shinn scowls at this comment; hey didn't that mechanic guy already say they were old enough to shave? Old enough to shave old enough to take on ZAFT GINN's in his book. Kira sighs maybe if he tried wearing something with more leather straps to it he'd look less like a child but he was worried people might start thinking he was a punk...no chance there.

Mu turns away from staring at Kira and Shinn for the moment "you know I came to this place as an escort for the young officers who'd been specially trained to pilot the G-weapons where can I find them?" he asks Murrue and Natarle and it was Natarle who answered "the bombs detonated near the control booth where the Captain and Professor Kato was welcoming them at that very moment, so they were all…" she tails of not needing to continue.

Professor Kato was dead! Kira and Shinn looked stricken they couldn't believe it; they didn't want to believe it! He may have been a crotchety old man who assigned far too much coursework (boring coursework at that) but he also taught them half of everything they knew, and let them work on the design aesthetics of the G-weapons, the Gundams!

"There is some good news" Natarle continued "we still have the experimental Logos unit on board, and its pilot also survived the attack" she gestures across the hanger where a Black Quadruped Mobile Suit rested alongside which a girl about the same age as Kira Shinn, and the others stood beside it observing them with a blank expression with blond hair matted with dust, dirt and blood wearing a battered looking grey exo-suit.

"Logos…" Murrue murmurs before a flash of realization hits her and a frown crosses her features "I see" she says "one of them" no wonder she survived then. Mu looks on not understanding the hidden meaning behind the words, apparently it was a need to know thing and no one had thought the escort pilot needed to know, admittedly he was never supposed to report to the archangel in the first place.

"I see" he states slowly (he didn't really) before turning his attention back to Kira and Shinn who still distraught over learning about professor Kato's death and don't see the danger, their friends however do and press in close, unnerved by the Lieutenants attention. "Huh? What's the matter?" Shinn demands to know as he notices Mu who has come to stand beside him and Kira who looks up with a start at the Lieutenant.

"So tell me your coordinators aren't you?" Mu asks Kira and Shinn causing everyone else to gasp or utter various exclamations…A Mirada of expressions cross Kira's features while Shinn's features twist into an angry snarl "Yes" Kira states simply while Shinn merely nods his head curtly.

Four crewman clad in body armor signifying that they are a members of security, they were the only ones actually carrying weapons. Suddenly they cock their rifles and aim them at the brothers who remain unmoving, instead it is Tolle who steps in the line of fire a furious look on his face.

0o0o0

Onboard the ZAFT flagship Le Crueset was analysing the video data retrieved by Miguel before his GINN self-destructed and thanks the pilot for bringing back irrefutable proof of how formidable the G-weapons are. After all with out it he would have been a laughing stock for allowing his machine to be damaged in battle with one operated by a Natural.

Despite the data he can't understand why those two machines performance is so high considering the incomplete nature of the OS found in the four captured units. Not that it matters having seen first hand how powerful the Earth Forces Mobile weapons are they can not afford to allow the remaining two to be under their enemies control. If they couldn't capture them then they will simply destroy them along with the new ship.

Athrun came up to Le Crueset with a request to sortie alongside the GINN team he had to go back and check. He needed to know one way or the other if it was Kira he saw. His request is denied but he half-expected this there was one Mobile Suit left he could take, the captured Earth Forces Suit!

0o0o0

Back onboard the Archangel in the hanger the situation was tense as the soldiers glared at Kira and Shinn as though expecting them to attack at any moment, and in Shinn's case it wasn't far off.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tolle shouts angrily "Kira and Shinn are coordinators but they are not the enemy" he declares haughtily. Shinn can't help but feel ever so slightly guilty about all the things he'd ever thought about Tolle (except for those made while he was suffering that hang-over, Tolle deserved them) he honestly never expected to one day see a Natural defending him. "Didn't you see for yourselves how they defended the Gundams from ZAFT? You must be out of your minds!" he claims defiantly

"Kira and Shinn are our friends" Miriallia states "even if Shinn is a wazuk" Kuzzy adds earning a heated glare from the aforementioned wazuk. (If it weren't for the fact several guns held by people with itchy trigger fingers were pointed at his head he'd give him wazuk!) "If you want to harm our friends" Sai states coolly pushing his specs up "you'll have to get through us first" Sai…how can he make that sound so cool…in those glasses? Kira wonders briefly. (His mind often wanders, as Shinn says he just goes along for the ride.)

Murrue steps forward "lower your rifles men" she orders the security team hesitates for a fraction of a second before complying. Natarle steps up beside her "Lieutenant I request an explanation" she asks Murrue quietly. Not seeing the logic in her actions, coordinators were the enemy weren't they? Actually she had a point really after all for all they knew they could be deep cover ZAFT spies sent to uncover the truth behind the new Earth Forces Mobile weapons designed on Heliopolis with orders to infiltrate the ranks of the Earth Forces through the Archangel uncovering as much information on the naturals battle plans and tactics before stealing the G-weapons and returning to the PLANTS as triumphant heroes…but what were the chances of something like that happening eh?

"If you think about it its no great mystery" Murrue claims turning to face Natarle "Heliopolis is a colony of a neutral nation it would make sense to find some coordinators who wanted to avoid involvement in the war, am I wrong?" she asks turning back to the brothers. "No your right" Kira replies wearily "especially since were first generation coordinators" Shinn adds.

"First generation" Mu muses out loud "that of course means your parents are Naturals" he muses before smiling "I apologize I didn't intend to cause such a fuss, I was only curious nothing more" he claims. "Lieutenant La Flaga!" exclaims Murrue shocked by his easy come easy go attitude. Kira liked him, Shinn liked him as well.

Mu turns to gaze up at the Mobile Suits and continues as though he hadn't heard her "as we made our way here I watched the guys who were supposed to pilot the G-weapons run through some simulations they had to really struggle just to get it to move, man oh man" he starts to walk away.

"So what do we do now?" Natarle asks Mu before he can leave the hanger "what do we do?" he asks rhetorically as he turns round "I've just been shot down and the Le Crueset team is waiting for us outside" everyone (except the civilians who are generally clueless) gasp at the mention of the infamous ZAFT pilots name. Kira racks his brain but can't ever remember hearing of the guy he glances at Shinn who shrugs he'd never heard of the guy either, must be the Mobile Suit equivalent to the red baron or something to provoke such a reaction. (Little did they know how accurate their assumption was.) "He's definitely a persistent fellow, so if you're asking me I'd say we can't afford to spend much time here" he declares before leaving.

'Wow' thinks Kira 'what a guy' finishes Shinn stars in his eyes, the whole works.

0o0o0

A short while later the surviving crew members were bringing on trailers from the factory district carrying spare parts for the Strike and Impulse as well as the optional Strike Packages, and the other silhouette Flyers. They were even able to get hold of replacement parts for Mu's Mobile Armor (which was simpler than a Mobile Suit and easier to scrounge up parts for) the technical core worked tirelessly to refuel and rearm the G-weapons, repairs had also begun on Mu's Moebius Zero although even the most optimistic estimates said it wouldn't be ready before the next battle.

0o0o0

In the crew quarters inside a multi-bed room Kira and Shinn leant back to back against the wall in a top bunk having a power nap they needed to reserve their energy if they were going to escape from ZAFT.

"I'm impressed that they can sleep at a time like this" Kuzzy sitting on a lower bunk opposite comments glancing at the tuckered out brothers. "Their both exhausted what with everything that's happened today" Miriallia standing of to the side replies "it would have been especially hard for Kira you know" Tolle sighs from his position sat on the lower bunk and Sai standing beside him nods his head in agreement arms crossed against his chest.

"It was tough huh?" Kuzzy queries "I suppose it's hard to argue about that but…" he tails of reluctantly. "Just what are you getting at Kuzzy?" Sai asks curtly. "Nothing really" Kuzzy is quick to reply "it's just…Kira told us how he re-wrote the OS for that thing right? And Shinn still refuses to tell us how he found and managed to get a hold of the other one…" "Your point?" demands Tolle the merest hint of anger in his tone.

"How?" Kuzzy asks finally "How did Kira re-write the OS? When did he have the time? Just how did Shinn get his own Gundam? And how do they control them like experts after just five minutes experience? It just doesn't make sense to me" Kira and Shinn don't move a muscle but mentally they groaned; of course it was impossible for them to pilot a Mobile weapon they'd never seen before like experts…of course what they didn't know was that they had been working on them for the past five months so it was sort of like playing a computer game they designed themselves, they knew everything they needed to do to beat the boss and get to the next level.

"We've all heard the rumours that Kira and Shinn are coordinators, those people who are the product of genetic engineering and who can do all these mind-blowing things" he glances at the apparently sleeping brothers "but to them it's just a little bit tough" Try a heck of a lot bit tough Shinn fought back a snort, just 'cos they could do something that most naturals wouldn't have been able to do in a month of Sundays didn't mean it came super easy to them, Kira agreed with him he had never keen on Kuzzy, loved Sai like a brother (he was certainly less grouchy than Shinn and had a way cooler fashion sense even if the glasses did ruin the effect) loved Miriallia like a sister (to bad they didn't have a sister, maybe one day they would stumble upon a long lost sister of theirs who would make them cookies and berate them for the state of their student digs…or maybe she would be more like Shinn and would have joined a band of freedom fighters becoming their spirit of victory! In a shelter not to far away a certain blond haired girl sneezes violently) and loved Tolle like an annoying cousin who's always playing pranks and leading them of the straight and narrow, but Kuzzy…He'd never been keen on him.

"And don't forget" Kuzzy continues "all those ZAFT guys are like that too" Neh-neh Wrong! Not all coordinators are created equal just like with naturals, some coordinators find doing mind-blowing things easier and some harder…even amongst their peers Kira and Shinn would be considered exceptionally gifted. "And that's who the Earth Forces are fighting; do they really stand a chance?" Note to self thinks Kira don't let Kuzzy be the morale officer. And as a point of fact No! They didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell Shinn thinks but don't worry he and Kira were on their side that made things just about even.

0o0o0

On the bridge the senior officers are in conference. Murrue sighs as she hangs up the phone "I'm told the colony interior is almost one hundred percent evacuated but I'm also told after the incident that just happened the hazard level has been upped to 9" she informs the other officers. "Lieutenant Ramius detained those children because they had been exposed to military secrets, it's not like she could just let them go free at the time" Natarle explains the situation to Mu "and I'm not convinced it's a good idea to let them go at this time" not with two coordinators with intimate knowledge about the G-weapons went unsaid. "So you propose to let them join us in our escape?" Mu asks incredulously "once outside we'll be involved in some pretty heavy fighting" he states. Murrue nods her head in agreement "I'm thinking we're going to have to rely on the power of the Strike and impulse" she announces.

"So you're sending them out into battle again?" Natarle asks clearly not a fan of the idea. "What do you think our chances are without them?" Murrue counters. "Do you think those kids are going to be okay with it?" Mu asks Murrue but it is Natarle who answers. "You can't be serious" she snaps "we still have Stellar and the Logos unit wouldn't it be prudent to send them out instead of relying on teenage 'coordinator' civilians" as prejudice as it was she did have a point after all Stellar was designed for fighting, that in itself however was the problem. "Ensign Badgiruel" Murrue says in a commanding tone of voice "That Extended girl may have been cleared by high command for service but according to the doctor report she is still extremely unstable" she fixes Natarle with an even gaze "are you saying we send her out in an untested machine" at least they knew the Strike and the Impulse were combat ready "within the colony?"

Mu shakes his head "still can't believe the top brass would authorise something like this" he sighs before remembering during the now infamous Bloody Valentine battle, that moment when he realized just what he had been guarding. "No I believe it I just don't want to" he looks up at the other two "I agree with you Lieutenant, we've already caused enough damage to the colony by accident, I'd advise not launching Stellar until after we get away from the colony, at least until we get a chance to see for ourselves whether she'll obey our orders in the heat of the battle" he shakes his head once more "til then it's simply to risky"

Natarle bites down her frustration and had to admit they had a point but even so how could they be certain they could trust those coordinators? What if they decided to take the final G-weapons and join their own kind? Even if they had Natural parents what if they still felt like most coordinators did that naturals were an inferior species? There had to be another option. "Lieutenant La Flaga couldn't you pilot one of the G-weapons?" Natarle suggests confident she'd found a compromise that worked for everyone. "What!" Mu exclaims "are you crazy?" he asks her "I can't operate one of those monsters, especially now, why don't you go down to the hanger and see what those kids did to the OS they completed it alright and then some" he laughs ironically "a regular human being like you or me couldn't possibly handle it now"

"Then make them change it back…oh that won't work they were a mess before" Natarle growled in frustration. With an incomplete OS ZAFT would slaughter them as Murrue herself proved "in any case I still feel that it's inappropriate to put teenage civilians in charge of invaluable military hardware especially coordinator children…but since there doesn't seem to be another option…" Mu and Murrue glanced at her curiously, was she actually…?

"I wish you'd stop that" a new voice announces startling the three officers who jump and turn to stare in shock at the newcomers to the conversation Kira and Shinn who were standing in front of the door to the bridge which Mu could have sworn he'd locked. "Kids, children, only started shaving, not even out of school yet…sheesh were old enough to drive you know…well since last month anyway" Shinn admits muttering under his breath.

"How did you…?" Murrue asks confused. As Natarle glowers at the brothers in front of her, they needed them, but that didn't mean she had to like it, or indeed them. Mu turns around in his chair to face them and smiles "ah Kira, Shinn come in we were just talking about you" he gestures for them to come over towards them which they do sitting down together at a free workstation. Murrue and Natarle glance incredulously at the Hawk of Endymion who was apparently unphased by the fact that these two had somehow managed to find and gain entry to the bridge of the Archangel (the most secure location on the ship.)

"So we heard" sneers Shinn before been chastitized by his brother "Shinn be gracious, we are their guests after all" he states "and we are here to offer our services as Gundam pilots" that through the three officers for a loop not a one amongst them would have predicted this.

"You mean you want to pilot the Strike and the Impulse?" Murrue asks them just to be clear on the matter as she had heard them and their friends refer to the G-weapons as Gundams before and had no idea where they came up with the name although it did feel right somehow. The brothers nod their heads, isn't that what they said already? "I'll take the Impulse…its name is…fitting" he shoots a mock glare at Kira who rolls his eyes "Kira here can take the inappropriately named Strike" Kira sighs "Shinn. I doubt their going to change it to Unobtrusive no matter how much you think it matches my personality"

Natarle can't believe their audacity "And what makes you think we'd allow a couple of civilians to even operate military hardware let alone the invaluable G-weapons" she snarks "especially considering your…status" she tried to paraphrase her objection so it wasn't overtly genist, however her distaste still shone through.

Kira looks down at his feet upset by the remark while Shinn glares at Natarle and then smirks "well if you have a problem with us been coordinators and been around the 'G-weapons' maybe you should have thought about that before you had us build 'em" he sneers triumphantly. Way to break it to them bro Kira thinks sarcastically massaging his forehead. "What!" exclaims Murrue they couldn't mean that they…

"You deserve to know the truth" Kira admits "and since Professor Kato is no longer..amongst us he can't get into any trouble…" Kira takes a deep breath and continues "we know that Morgenroette was allied with the Earth Forces and was helping you design Mobile Suits to combat ZAFT"

"I see" says Mu stroking his chin "well that explains a lot" Natarle and Murrue stare at him, just when they thought they'd got used to his laid back approach he surprises them again, didn't anything phase him? He smiles and chuckles at the sight of their faces and explains himself "you forget I've fought against Coordinators, people have an embellished idea of someone who's perfect and can do anything from composing a symphony and calculating pie in their heads to flying a star ship and fighting a space battle with no need for any training what so ever, but that's not true now is it?" Kira shakes his head and Shinn snorts nodding his agreement. "For even an exceptional coordinator to pilot something as complicated as a Mobile Suit so effectively…not to mention update an existing OS…it's just not possible, not without prior experience and training" he shrugs his shoulders "I bet those ZAFT boys spent at least a week going over simulations and preparations before they attacked, and they would have already had experience piloting ZAFT Mobile Suits, so you see…" he winds down finishing his explanation "that would explain how they could do all that they did."

"That is correct" Kira agrees with Mu's opinion and Shinn's explanation "Coordinators do have an advantage over Naturals and perhaps it is unfair but were still only human" he smiles nervously hoping that would clear up a few misunderstandings amongst the crew namely Natarle "the Prof told us a lot, didn't mention this ship though, probably leaving it as a surprise, the cantagarus old…well" Shinn coughs as he catches Kira's warning look and moves a step to the left, Kira's right boot could be lethal. "Some of Orb's top scientists may have come up with the design schematics but it took me and Kira to fix the design flaws, and believe me their were hundreds and that's just in the Impulse" Kira nods his head solemnly "Unfortunately we finished erasing all the flaws just this week, all that was left was to create a new OS to finish it" he explains and then blushes "um we may have gone to far though the new OS is to good, Naturals can't handle it, we could switch back to the old one…" he tails of "but you may as well just hand them over to ZAFT and scupper this ship yourselves" Shinn claims stepping in "it'll save a lot of time and wasted effort"

"When did you…?" Murrue asks in a daze. "When did we work on the G-weapon project?" Kira asks for clarification earning a hesitant nod from Murrue "in between home-work assignments, Professor Kato realized the course work just wasn't challenging enough for us and he was stuck on how to advance his other project that's when he had an epiphany"

"Let you have the challenge of working with Mobile Suit designs, and perhaps you can find the problem that's eluding him" Mu realizes. "Yeah" Shinn smirks "we went along with it 'cos it got out of class a lot, believe me writing coding for a Mobile Suit OS is a hell of a lot more interesting than class, especially since the Prof could hardly find the time to take them" he mutters under his breath about stupid supply teachers. "He told us not to tell anyone because he could have got into a lot of trouble if his superiors found out but it's hardly important now" Kira finishes.

"Are you seriously telling me our greatest military secret the G-weapons! Were created by…Coordinators?" Natarle asks out loud unable to wrap her mind around the concept. Kira and Shinn exchange glances (Kira wearily, Shinn eagerly, Kira sighs and nods to Shinn who literally beams back at him.) "That about sums it up" Shinn grins cockily, clearly pleased that the Lieutenant had a good (if precarious) grasp on the situation. Murrue isn't fairing much better as she opens and closes her mouth rendered completely speechless.

It comes as no surprise that Mu is the one to defuse the situation. Having listened to their explanation all the way through he finally gives up and bursts out laughing "can't you just see it?" he asks Murrue and Natarle who have given up been surprised by anything at this point and just stare at him in bemusement and annoyance respectively. "all the faces of high command if they only knew…" he breaks of into another fit of belly laughs "They not only pilot the G-weapons in there first combat situation, improve the OS to a degree that it's beyond our comprehension but they actually built them in the first place, or close enough" he declares as he regains control of over his brief laughing fit. "Real crazy" he shakes his head.

"Lieutenant La Flaga!" Natarle protests weakly the usual sting gone from her tone. It was just to much for her to take, she'd already thrown in the towel let them do whatever thy wanted, at this stage it didn't seem to matter. "It's true" Mu defends himself "and besides it doesn't change anything" he looks at Murrue deadly serious for the time been "we need them" he says simply. Murrue sighs having felt her headache steadily worsen as time wore on but nods her head "I know" she replies.

"We don't affiliate ourselves with ZAFT and the PLANTS" Kira states calmly, this was risky but it had to be said "but neither will we affiliate ourselves with the Earth forces" Shinn states calmly. All three officers blink in confusion, what did they mean by that?

"We are citizens of Orb a neutral nation" states Kira "And yes I remember what you said and I agree it may be impossible to hide under a rock to forget this war exists" he stares Murrue straight in the eyes "we're already involved and have been for some time"

"But…we only worked on the Gundams because it was a challenge, it was fun, we don't favour either side of this war because their both lead by a bunch of bastards" states Shinn holding up his hand to forestall any complaints. "No! Here me out, the federation nuked a colony full of civilians while ZAFT has used a weapon that has left millions of people on the Earth suffering an energy crisis the likes of which have never been seen before" Kira then speaks up adding his own observations "and now...it's true ZAFT are attacking our home, but they wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you and your military secret, who's bright idea was it to build the G-weapons in a neutral colony, a civilian colony instead of a heavily armed military outpost anyway?"he asks the three Earth Forces officers who wouldn't have been able to answer him even if they had known themselves. Shinn grunts "Prof never would tell us" he growls.

"I understand how you must feel…" Murrue begins. "with all due respect lieutenant…how could you?" Kira asks in an even tone of voice. "We'll fight, because this is our home their attacking, our people, our friends, Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations." Kira declares the motto of Orb. Shinn nods his head although he wasn't as big on the not fighting or involving bits as Kira.

Murrue nods her head "then it's decided if we come under attack again before we can leave the colony the Yamato brothers will launch in the Strike and Impulse!" she turns to Natarle "we'll hold Stellar and the Gaia in reserve for now" Natarle nods her head stiffly in reluctant agreement.

"Well that's fine and dandy but as for the other matter you guys raised…I say we forget it" Mu comments offhandedly. Murrue no longer surprised merely nods her head having long since given up. Natarle puts up a token glare but only half-heartedly. "Forget what?" Murrue manages a half-smile at Mu who raises an eyebrow impressed that she was actually humouring him. "As you wish" spits out a tired out Natarle. Even she knew which battles she could win, and which she couldn't and she had to admit to herself even before the Yamato brothers arrived she'd been fighting a loosing battle. "I'll add your protests into the official records" Murrue informs her taking pity on her poor 2IC.

"Well…" Kira looked apologetically at Natarle and bashfully at Murrue and with respect for Mu. "…We'll get back to the others then" Shinn finished grinning like a madman at Natarle, mischievously at Murrue and with something akin to worship for Mu. They turn around to leave but as they reach the door Murrue stops them "oh and Kira, Shinn." The brothers pause in their actions immediately they knew an order when they heard it and right now Murrue sounded just like their mother when she has a job for them. "Don't wander around the ship unsupervised again" Murrue commands. The brothers nod their heads in union and leave.

0o0o0

On the ZAFT flagship three GINN's equipped with Heavy Demolition weapons are launched towards the colony to begin their attack, however before the hatch can close Athrun in his captured Earth Forces Mobile Suit also launches. The Ships captain is naturally distressed when he hears Athrun has defied orders and launched in one of the important stolen units. But Le Crueset the team commander was more amused by they development than anything else. "Imagine" he said "a battle pitting one Earth Forces Mobile Suit against another"

0o0o0

The Archangel goes on alert as they detect the incoming Mobile Suits it seems ZAFT wasn't willing to wait for them to leave the colony; the ship takes of from the ground as the surviving crew members take their places ready for the upcoming battle. In the Starboard Launch-bay the Strike is equipped with the Sword Striker pack for combat while in the Port Launch-bay the Impulse components are prepped for launch with the Sword Silhouette Flyer. Hopefully equipping these weapons packs would avoid a repeat of last time. (Where the blast yield from their cannons had been so strong it hit the target and carried on hitting the side of the colony blowing open a new window into space.) "Shinn!" Kira communicates with his brother through their Gundams radio link "remember…" Shinn nods his head "I know, I know, this time the colony comes first, no matter what."

0o0o0

On the archangel bridge the crew were monitoring the senses and picked up visual scans of the incoming Mobile Suits, Mu has a crewman pull of the image and enlarge it on the main screen revealing the heavy demolitions ordnance carried by the GINN's. The crew were horrified as those were for taking out bases, not fighting in an enclosed space like a colony. And it only got worse from there as another GINN's (also equipped with heavy Demolition ordnance) joined the first two followed by a very familiar Red Mobile Suit. The GAT-X303 Aegis! Murrue didn't want to believe it but it was undeniably true ZAFT had sent their own machine to destroy them. In response the Archangel fires four powerful Beams from its Gottfried Duel High Energy Beam cannons at the enemy Mobile Suits which evade with ease.

The Sword Strike launches from the Archangels Starboard launch-bay its Phase Shift armor activates turning the grey Mobile Suit white and blue. The Core Splendour, Chest Flyer, Legs Flyer and Sword Silhouette launches from the Archangels Port Launch-bay and forms into the Sword Impulse as quickly as possible. Kira draws his Schwert Gewehr anti-ship Sword and prepares to do battle while Shinn draws his two Excalibur anti-ship swords and forms them into the longer Force Edge Blade.

The GINN carrying a Barrus Ion cannon opens fire on the Sword Strike. Although it's weapon wasn't as powerful as the Hyper Impulse Cannons the Gundams came equipped with last time I was still a deadly attack even with Phase Shift armor. Kira evades and the blast carries on hitting a support cable snapping it instantly! Without any support the cable crashes down levelling two city blocks. Kira is horrified there was now more damage than ever before…he couldn't…no he Wouldn't let it continue. Shinn was seeing red and it wasn't the Aegis, in his mind it was high time ZAFT felt some payback on Heliopolis's behalf.

The GINN fires again at the Impulse this time which also evades with minimum effort, this time a hospital building is hit and is instantly vaporised. "We can't let him hit us but if we evade…" Kira in the Strike takes a third blast directly. The ZAFT pilot cheers until the Strike emerges unharmed having caught the energy blast on the Sword Striker shield armor on the left arm. The GINN pilot barely evades in time narrowly avoiding been cleaved in two by the Schwert Gewehrv sword. The GINN manages to fire of another shot which the Strike takes on his left arm shield armor once again. "Shinn I'll keep this guy busy you protect the Archangel, I think I can handle him" Kira informs his brother in the Impulse "Rodger that…don't get shot down or anything" Shinn replies flying into the path of two GINN's who were about to attack the Archangel.

Even as this played out Athrun sat in the Aegis watching the battle but not joining in…was it them? He couldn't be sure just observing them for such a short time…but if it was…he couldn't fight Kira…and Shinn…he seriously doubted ZAFT had anything that could take him down.

A GINN equipped with 2 Canus missile Launchers (hand held weapons) and with 2 leg mounted Pardus missile launchers launches a couple of Pardus missiles at the Archangel whose chain guns take out two of the three missiles launched with Shinn intercepting the third. A second GINN launches all four of its Canus missiles, Shinn can't reach them in time, and the Archangel hasn't any time to intercept more than 1 or 2 and so has no choice but to evade. All missiles miss their target, 1 is destroyed with the 3 remaining impacting the colony surface dealing massive amounts of damage to Heliopolis .

As the GINN tried to pull back suddenly Shinn in the Impulse was upon him. The ZAFT pilot tries to discard the empty Canus Missile Launchers in order to draw its GINN sword to defend himself but it was already too late. The Impulse swooped in over the helpless ZAFT GINN its Force Edge blade aimed straight and true "This is for the colony!" Shinn screamed as he skewered the GINN and its pilot straight through the chest section. Pulling his sword free Shinn looks on as the critically damaged GINN explodes before it can reach the ground dealing some minor damage to the colony (in the form of falling flaming debris.) Shinn was breathing heavily "I…I just…I just killed a guy!" he realized eyes wide with shock.

The Strike and the Ion Cannon carrying GINN danced as the strikes speed more than made up for their gaps in experience. Despite this Kira found he couldn't get close enough to take out the GINN even after several passes and as many near-misses. He'd been unable to block a few of the shots the GINN fired of despite his best efforts and the damage to the colony was extracting a terrible toll on both itself and upon Kira. Then without warning Athrun in the Aegis joins the battle giving Kira yet another start "It's that Mobile Suit…" he breaths remembering Athrun jumping into the other Gundam which turned red and flew away from him. He grips the controls tightly 'Athrun' he thinks as the Aegis swoops past the Strike like a psychedelic Shark marking out its prey.

The GINN uses the distraction to fire yet another blast at the Strike however Kira activates his Mobile Suit's boosters propelling him up to evade the powerful beam which vaporises several houses behind him. Kira snaps he just couldn't take watching his home been destroyed anymore holding the Schwert Gewehrv sword in the Strikes right hand he draws a Beam Boomerang (I kid you not, and later on Shinn would ask incredulously if there was a Beam Frisbee, a Beam Baseball, or even a Beam tennis racket.) in his left hand and lets it fly at the GINN who evades to the right dodging the spinning beam blade of death (the BBD as Shinn would christen it much to Kira's annoyance) before reversing back into a firing position…what must the ZAFT pilot have felt at that moment as he achieved a target lock on the Strike elation? Victory? Success? The Strike wasn't even attempting to evade when…the Beam Boomerang as per its name returned to sending slicing the GINN's legs of as it did so.

Kira reacted without thinking even as he grabbed the Beam Boomerang deactivated it and stored it on the Sword Striker pack, he pushed forward with his thrusters Schwert Gewehrv sword held high and cuts straight through the GINN cutting it into thirds. The pilot screams and Kira hears him, even though it was impossible, even though it wasn't over the radio or video links he still heard the scream of fear and pain before it is silenced forever as two of the three GINN sections explode.

Kira looks back through a side screen at the GINN's remains "I…just…just wanted you to stop" he shudders violently and has to force himself to breath. What was he doing here fighting? He couldn't pilot a Gundam; he was scared and afraid, where was Shinn? Just what was he doing here?" Athrun was also horrified by the scene as he saw what could be Kira kill another of his friends. Rusty had already been killed by that Earth Forces woman and now…Miguel and by his dearest friends hands…how did this happen?

The Surviving GINN seeing that the Impulse had frozen along with its pilot fires some Pardus missiles at the archangel who unable to avoid them tried to intercept them with repeater fire destroying two of the missiles but still getting hit on one side with the last missile and receiving some damage (fortunately the hull remained intact.) Unable to rouse Shinn despite Natarle's best efforts and explenatives the Archangel is forced to fire back at the GINN with its main cannons – the beams missing the agile Mobile suit and scraping against the colony shaft which sparks dangerously. Heliopolis had been pushed to the brink one more push and it would all be over. Shinn seeing this recovers from the shock trauma from before "Noooooo! Stop firing! Can't you see what you're doing you Bastard!" he and the Impulse re-enter the battle ignoring Natarle's complaints and demands to know what the FXXX happened.

Meanwhile the Kira readies the Strikes Schwert Gewehrv sword as he faces down the Aegis 'Athrun can't be piloting that thing' he thinks 'there's no way he'd join ZAFT' Again the Aegis swoops past the strike neither making a move to attack the other…as of yet. "Kira! Kira Yamato!" a familiar voice came over the radio, a voice Kira hadn't heard in a long time. "So it is you" Athrun raises his voice "Isn't it Kira." "Athrun? Athrun Zala!" Kira asks although all doubt in his mind had already vanished. Even so he could barely believe it what a twisted turn of events to be forced to fight in a war not his own against his best friend.

The Surviving GINN makes a pass at the Archangel when the Impulse swoops in from behind and cleaves it in two but just before the Critical Mobile Suit explodes it launches its 4 Canus missiles but without targeting data they spiral out of control some hit into the shaft detonating spectacully…the whole colony shook as the Shaft having taken a great deal of abuse during the battle reaches its limits and begins to collapse.

"Why are you here?" Kira demands to know 'he's supposed to be in the PLANTS waiting for me' he thinks. "You should talk" retorts Athrun much to Kira's guile didn't he notice that he and his ZAFT buddies were attacking his home, what did he think he was going to do sit back and let them? All around them the colony started to collapse.

"I'm…" Kira regains his confidence, he wasn't a wimpy pushover no matter what Shinn said…okay maybe he was a wimpy pushover but some things were unforgivable even for him "…I'm defending my home why are you here? Are you trying to destroy Heliopolis?" he looked around in growing horror "Look what you've done to the colony!" Athrun glances around feeling the same growing horror as Kira alongside his own guilt "Kira…I…"

"No! No! No!" Shinn hits his console in anger. They'd tried…they'd tried so hard to save the colony only to bring about its inevitable ultimate destruction. The Life-pods are ejected just before Heliopolis fragments. The Mobile Suits and the Archangel are buffeted by the winds as the air is sucked into space. The Mobile Suits in particular struggling against the current are the first to be pulled outside with Athrun in the Aegis ending up on the other side while Shinn in the Impulse follows Kira in the Strike with the Archangel locking onto them and navigating the growing debris field.


End file.
